2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season (WeatherWill)
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season was an above-average hurricane season, however, there were no major hurricanes. The first storm of the season, Arlene, formed on June 17, starting the hurricane season. Arlene was the only hurricane to make landfall in the US. An area of low pressure from the Eastern Pacific moved over Mexico in early-July and became Bret before making landfall in Mexico. Don formed in the Caribbean and caused flooding in the Bahamas and Hispaniola. Despite all that, it only killed 10. Emily caused major damage in Mexico after causing numerous landslides and major flooding. In early September, Hurricane Gert formed off the coast of Florida and made landfall near Fort Walton Beach, Florida and then stalled, causing moderate damage. Harold made landfall in Louisiana as a strong tropical storm. Jose, moved through the Azores as a Category 2 hurricane and later became an extratropical cyclone that struck Ireland and the United Kingdom. The deadliest and strongest storm of the season, Lee, rapidly intensified from a Tropical Depression to a Category 1 in 18 hours and then made landfall in Honduras. Margot caused considerable flooding in the Bahamas and in the Carolinas. Nigel, the costliest storm of the season brought the worst flooding since Irma, Maria, and Pablo to Puerto Rico. This season use to be the 2025 Hurricane Season but I have since changed it to be in order. Timeline ImageSize = width:700 height:200 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:80 right:20 left:20 Legend = columns:3 left:50 top:58 columnwidth:220 AlignBars = early DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/06/2023 till:01/12/2023 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMinor = grid:black unit:month increment:1 start:01/06/2023 Colors = id:canvas value:gray(0.88) id:GP value:red id:TD value:rgb(0.38,0.73,1) legend:Tropical_Depression_=_<39_mph_(0-62_km/h) id:TS value:rgb(0,0.98,0.96) legend:Tropical_Storm_=_39–73_mph_(63–117_km/h) id:C1 value:rgb(1,1,0.80) legend:Category_1_=_74–95_mph_(118–153_km/h) id:C2 value:rgb(1,0.91,0.46) legend:Category_2_=_96–110_mph_(154–177_km/h) id:C3 value:rgb(1,0.76,0.25) legend:Category_3_=_111–129_mph_(178–208_km/h) id:C4 value:rgb(1,0.56,0.13) legend:Category_4_=_130–156_mph_(209–251_km/h) id:C5 value:rgb(1,0.38,0.38) legend:Category_5_=_≥157_mph_(≥252_km/h) Backgroundcolors = canvas:canvas BarData = barset:Hurricane bar:Month PlotData= barset:Hurricane width:11 align:left fontsize:S shift:(4,-4) anchor:till from:17/06/2023 till:22/06/2023 color:C2 text:"Arlene (C2)" from:09/07/2023 till:11/07/2023 color:TS text:"Bret (TS)" from:10/07/2023 till:12/07/2023 color:TS text:"Cindy (TS)" from:14/07/2023 till:16/07/2023 color:TD text:"Four (TD)" from:28/07/2023 till:06/08/2023 color:C1 text:"Don (C1)" from:06/08/2023 till:08/08/2023 color:TS text:"Emily (TS)" from:25/08/2023 till:30/08/2023 color:TS text:"Franklin (TS)" barset:break from:07/09/2023 till:11/09/2023 color:C1 text:"Gert (C1)" from:15/09/2023 till:18/09/2023 color:TS text:"Harold (TS)" from:16/09/2023 till:17/09/2023 color:TS text:"Idalia (TS)" from:16/09/2023 till:22/09/2023 color:C2 text:"Jose (C2)" from:23/09/2023 till:02/10/2023 color:C1 text:"Katia (C1)" from:28/09/2023 till:06/10/2023 color:C2 barset:break barset:skip barset:skip barset:skip barset:skip barset:skip from:08/10/2023 till:09/10/2023 color:TS text:"Lee (C2)" from:14/10/2023 till:18/10/2023 color:C1 text:"Margot (C1)" barset:break from:01/11/2023 till:01/11/2023 color:TS barset:break from:02/11/2023 till:04/11/2023 color:TS barset:break from:05/11/2023 till:07/11/2023 color:TS text:"Nigel (TS)" from:14/11/2023 till:18/11/2023 color:TS text:"Ophelia (TS)" bar:Month width:5 align:center fontsize:S shift:(0,-20) anchor:middle color:canvas from:01/06/2023 till:30/06/2023 text:June from:01/07/2023 till:31/07/2023 text:July from:01/08/2023 till:31/08/2023 text:August from:01/09/2023 till:30/09/2023 text:September from:01/10/2023 till:31/10/2023 text:October from:01/11/2023 till:30/11/2023 text:November Systems 'Hurricane Arlene' An area of low pressure formed off the northern coast of Cuba on June 16. A day later, the NHC dubbed it Tropical Depression One. The depression quickly became better organized and strengthened to Tropical Storm Arlene. Arlene quickly moved towards the Florida Keys. Whilst this happens, Arlene becomes a Category 2 hurricane. Due to upper-level winds, Arlene is pushed into Florida and makes landfall near Cedar Key. Post-Tropical Arlene caused major flooding in Tennessee and Kentucky. The name Arlene was voted by WMO to be retired. Arlene will be replaced with Athena. 'Tropical Storm Bret' A low pressure system moved from the Eastern Pacific into the Bay of Campeche. After stalling for a day or two, the system became Tropical Depression Two and then Tropical Storm Bret. Bret killed 4 and did minimal damage. 'Tropical Storm Cindy' The NHC was monitoring a strong tropical wave moving across the MDR. On July 10, it became Tropical Depression Three. Due to strong shear, it wasn't expected to strengthen but on July 11, the depression became Tropical Storm Cindy. 'Tropical Depression Four' A weak tropical depression formed from a frontal boundary. Due to cold waters, the depression did not become a tropical storm. 'Hurricane Don' A tropical wave moved into the Caribbean Sea and organized quickly to become a tropical depression and then Tropical Storm Don. The tropical storm moved through Hispaniola causing flooding and landslides. While moving through the Bahamas, Don was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, the second of the season. However, cool waters weakened the storm a bit while also get caught in a cold frontal system. The storm was taken by the front and became a hurricane once again before fizzling out. 'Tropical Storm Emily' The tropical wave behind Don moved across the Caribbean without development. However on August 4, the storm became an invest before moving across the Yucatan. When the system emerged from the peninsula, it quickly became a tropical depression. 12 hours later, Tropical Storm Emily formed. Emily barrelled towards the coast of Mexico over the next two days. Emily made landfall the night of August 8th. Emily caused major flooding and landslides. Damage was totalled and Emily caused $498 million dollars and killed over 15 people. The name Emily was not retired by WMO in the spring of 2026. 'Tropical Storm Franklin' An area of low pressure emerge off of Florida. It began to organize into something tropical. The area of low pressure became a tropical depression on August 25. It took a day for the depression to become Tropical Storm Franklin. Franklin's path could be considered erratic due to the fact it wobbled along the eastern seaboard. On August 30, Franklin became a tropical depression and then on the 31st, the remants of Franklin made landfall in Maine. 'Hurricane Gert' An area of disturbed weather moved across Cuba in early September. The NHC kept an eye on the system. On September 7, the area became organized enough to be called Tropical Depression Eight. On September 8, the depression intensified to Tropical Storm Gert. Gert proceeded to intensify and then late on September 9th, Gert became a hurricane. Whilst approaching the Gulf coast, Gert weakened to a tropical storm and then made landfall near Fort Walton Beach. Gert weakened and stalled in the panhandle of Florida, dumping nearly 15 inches of rain and some spots. Gert ended up causing 58 million dollars in damage. 'Tropical Storm Harold' After Gert made landfall, most of its moisture was taken away by a frontal system, however a piece broke off and showed signs of organization. Upon entering the Gulf, the system became Tropical Depression Nine, not taking on Gert's name. The waters were crazy warm and the depression became Tropical Storm Harold just hours after becoming a depression. On September 16, Harold reached a peak of 70 mph and then made landfall just north of the Mouth of the Mississippi. Harold continued "touring" Louisiana as a tropical depression before dissipating on September 18. Harold caused moderate floods but the total damage was only 17 million dollars. 'Tropical Storm Idalia' A gyre near Central America formed in mid-September. The gyre organized into a tropical cyclone very quickly. On September 16, Tropical Storm Idalia formed from the gyre. Idalia did not have much time to strengthen and moved inland the very same day. The storm caused little damage and no deaths. Thoughts that Idalia would remerge were brought up but the environment was too hostile. 'Hurricane Jose' The upper ridging faded away, letting a tropical wave moving northwestward. The wave became better organized and on September 16 became Tropical Depression Eleven. Eleven appeared to be strengthening and a buoy recorded tropical storm force winds so the NHC started issued advisories on Tropical Storm Jose. Jose continued to organize and strengthen. Late on September 18, Jose became a hurricane. The next day, Jose became a category 2. It was on the 19th that Jose started rocketing to the northeast. Jose reached a peak of 110 mph and a pressure of 960 mbs. The Azores were hit hardest by tropical Jose, but Jose did not make landfall. On September 21, Jose became an extratropical cyclone and whiplashed Spain, Ireland, and the UK. Jose caused minimal damage in the Azores and no one died while Jose was tropical. As an extratropical cyclonic storm, nearly 10 people died and $15.6 million dollars in damage was done. Because Jose was not tropical during this time, the name was not considered for retirement. 'Hurricane Katia' An area of disturbed weather was moving north out of the Caribbean. The area began to become better organized. The NHC named this feature Tropical Depression Twelve on September 23. Environmental conditions were not favorable for further development. Twelve slowly though became stronger and became Tropical Storm Katia on September 27. Conditions farther north were more favorable and allowed Katia to strengthen to a minimal hurricane. Strong shear though tore the storm apart and on October 2, Katia's circulation dissipated as it moved into Canada. 'Hurricane Lee' A low pressure system moving towards the coast of Honduras was well organized and upgraded to Tropical Depression Thirteen on September 28. Just 18 hours later, Tropical Depression Thirteen became a hurricane, Hurricane Lee. Lee immediately made landfall in Honduras but moved back out into the Caribbean. After causing multiple floods, Lee reorganized and once again rapidly intensified. Now, Lee was a Category 2. The SSTs were lower than along the coast so Lee never reached Category 3. Lee underwent an eyewall replacement cycle before moving southwestward and weakening to a Tropical Storm as it made landfall in Costa Rica. Lee became a reamant low as it moved through Central America, bring terrible rains. Lee once again reorganized near Belize into a tropical storm. On October 8, Lee made its final landfall in Belize as a low-end tropical storm. Lee left behind millions of dollars of damages and killed 100+ people. Lee tied the record of fastest intensification from depression to hurricane. Its tied with Hurricane Blanche of 1969 and Hurricane Harvey of 1981. Due to the flooding and number of deaths, WMO retired the name Lee and replaced it with Louis. 'Hurricane Margot' A tropical wave moving over Cuba showed signs of organization. The wave could not form over Cuba but once it exited the coast, the wave was upgraded to a tropical depression. The waters were warm enough and the environment seemed favorable. Later on October 14, the NHC upgraded Tropical Depression Fourteen to Tropical Storm Margot. Margot moved very slowly near the Turks and Caicos islands. Margot started to move northwestward, just north of the Bahamas. This was when Margot was upgraded once more to a category 1 hurricane. Margot began moving rapidly towards the Carolina coast. Because of its rapid movement, Margot weakened to a tropical storm at landfall. Margot caused moderate flooding in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia. The remnants of Margot looped around and dropped about an inch or two across New England and Southern Canada. The storm ended up causing nearly 53 million dollars in damage and killing 4 people in the Bahamas and 1 in Virginia. 'Tropical Storm Nigel' A broad area of low pressure south of Trinidad and Tobago was gradually looking better organized. The area of low pressure was given the title Tropical Depression Fifteen on November 1. Fifteen wasn't believed to gain strength due in part to the hostile environment, however it briefly became Tropical Storm Nigel before becoming an open wave. The open wave that was once Nigel became better organized once more and strengthened back into a depression and then storm. Nigel approached Puerto Rico and Hispaniola at a slow pace. Nigel made landfall in northern Dominican Republic and weakened. The rainfall put most of the island underwater. Up to 50 inches were reported in parts of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Up to 20 inches in parts of Puerto Rico. Once Nigel resurfaced, it gained strength but was poorly organized. The storm looped again towards the Dominican Republic. Nigel made its second landfall in the Dominican Republic as a subtropical depression. This added on to the rainfall totals. On November 7, the storm lost circulation and advisories were discontinued. Nigel caused 1.1 billion dollars in damages due mostly to flooding. Due to the low population in both islands, the damage was lowered and the death toll was only about 60. Despite this, WMO retired the name Nigel ''and replaced it with ''Nolan. 'Tropical Storm Ophelia' A subtropical low pressure was circling the MDR. The subtropical low pressure system was named Subtropical Depression Sixteen. The depression moved southeast while strengthening. On November 14, Sixteen became Subtropical Storm Ophelia. Ophelia moved around this area and slowly became tropical, causing the NHC to call it Tropical Storm Ophelia on November 15. Ophelia reached a wind peak of 70 mph and a pressure peak of 984 mbs. Ophelia then encountered high shear and dissipated on November 18, thus ending the 2023 Hurricane Season. Storm names The following list of names is being used for named storms that form in the North Atlantic in 2023. The names not retired from this list will be used again in the 2029 season. This is the same list used in the 2017 season, with the exception of the names Harold, Idalia, Margot, and Nigel which replaced Harvey, Irma, Maria, and Nate. Auxiliary Naming List These names are names used when the NHC runs out of names. These names can be retired if needed. The list has only been used once since its founding in 2019. The name Arlo was used in December of 2019. Retirement On April 3, 2024, the World Meteorological Organization retired the names Arlene, Lee and Nigel from its rotating naming lists due to the number of deaths and amount of damage they caused, and they will not be used again for another Atlantic hurricane. They will be replaced with Athena, Louis and Nolan for the 2029 season, respectively. Season effects Category:2023 Atlantic hurricane season Category:Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Future hurricane seasons Category:Future Atlantic Season Category:Seasons with no majors Category:Future Atlantic Seasons Category:Retired Names Category:Near normal seasons Category:Future Seasons Category:WeatherWill